I recently read a very interesting short piece about this. Unfortunately, I can't remember where I saw the piece. But I can remember some of the basics and I thought it was very apt for beginners, new to astronomy and astrophotography in particular.
When I first started my astrophotography journey, I was very smitten with the images I was seeing in magazines and on-line, particularly of galaxies, nebulae and milky way landscapes. Naively, I thought after some photography basic courses, I'd be able to go out and capture such images. But, of course, I now know differently.
Expectations vs reality!
It isn't just about knowing how to get your DSLR off auto is it? It's all those astrophotography programs - Sequator, SIRIL, Deepskystacker, PixInSight, GraXpert. The list is endless. Each requires significant investment in time - practice, practice, practice. How to stack frames! How to take calibration frames. Tracking the stars! Getting my head around long exposures and the whole host of post editing techniques to capture colour, shape, texture of night sky objects, was such a steep learning curve. How disappointed was I as my first efforts materialised on the rear view screen? Dim, noisy, small and frankly dull. Where was the colour, shape, texture? It took some time to grapple with the histogram and process of stacking multiple images.
Expectations vs reality! Learning how to use the various programs - so much time on YouTube!
And what about setting up equipment on the night? How many hours have I spent trying to polar align accurately? Trying to work out the intricacies of ASIair settings? Cable management so that they didn't dangle and snag. Tripping over the tripod; wasting how many frames because of dew on the lens or forgetting to replace batteries in a tracker. So many hard learned lessons and the need for checklists!
Expectations versus reality! Tough learning moments.
Nothing prepares you for the amount of time spent researching equipment needs. My first telescope was, on reflection, a bad purchase. The telescope was good but just not appropriate for what I as trying to achieve. Telescopes, camera lenses, filters, dew bands, guide scopes, ASIair mini, guide cams and scopes, power tank supplies, tripod types, trackers. What a minefield! After my first poor purchase, I took it slowly and used forums like stargazing lounge and cloudy nights to seek advice. Astrobin helped me visualise what each telescope and lens could achieve in tandem with a canon dslr. I came to realise that the most important bit was the mount! From Ioptron skytracker, to Skywatcher Star Adventurer 2i pro; and now to an EQM-35-Pro. Payload, tracking accuracy, polar alignment, stability, weight, reliability, ease of maintenance - all have to be considered.
Expectation vs reality. Doing our research, consulting and seeking advice. It takes so much time.
Processing. I just didn't understand how much time would be spent on post editing an image. I genuinely thought I'd capture a finished image almost immediately. Foolish boy! Reviewing images to get rid of the poor ones; stacking the remaining ones to get one master image with improved noise to signal ratio. Curves, levels, histogram stretching! A dark art! Noise reduction, colour calibration, deconvolution. So many processes, so many different ways of doing your workflow! It has taken me time to get my own personal workflow and even now I'm not sure it's right.
Expectation vs reality. You can edit the exact same data several times and each time get a different visual result. And, you may be like me - none the wiser as to whether its an accurate reflection of what exists in reality. Astrobin becomes your friend!
I wasn't prepared for the range of emotions I would feel and develop as an astrophotographer. It really is awe and wonder stuff. I was so excited when my first galaxy appeared on the rear view screen; an indistinct fuzzy blob, but a galaxy nonetheless! Light years, the time taken for a photon of light to reach your camera sensor. Time travel - when it left 250,000 light years ago! The image you see on the viewfinder.....one from the past. Is it still there now? How might it have changed? So many questions! The gradual understanding of seasonal skies, lunar phases, planetary alignments; the arrival and departure of distant comets. Excitement, curiosity, frustration, peace, calm, tranquility.
And patience. so much patience! the number of nights I have arrived expecting clear skies to find cloud. equipment failures - when the ASIair wont connect to the camera. When polar alignment just keeps failing for some reason I cannot work out. Two steps forward, five backwards; so often!
Resilience, patience, consistency, attention to detail, methodicality, organisation, curiosity, determination. Kindness to one's self.
Expectations vs reality. You are going to learn about your character and develop some emotional skills!
It is Ok to get a so-so image. All images are hard won successes. Be kind to yourself. learn to walk before you can run and all that! Ignore those perfect social media images. Something to work towards over the long term. Your first photo of the moon; the first comet; that first milky way landscape. It doesn't matter about their quality. Just cherish them. They were milestones on your astrophotography journey; not meant to impress others, but definitely a culmination of your hard won fledgling skills. Personal growth and development! Behind every image you take there will have been new skills learned, patience, planning, troubleshooting, problem solving. We are learning to deal with setbacks, even anticipating them.
Expectations vs reality. Astrophotography is a slow, complex, challenging and rewarding learning journey. You have to be a willing life-long learner to embark on it.
Don't forget that you need a supportive community around you if you want to make progress. Online forums, Facebook groups, Astrobin community. Seek feedback and advice. You won't always like it but embrace it. Seek out those who inspire you; who understand what it is like to be a beginner; who value you for starting on the journey they may be further along. Dont be afraid to ask questions - there is genuinely nothing like a dumb question - remember you don't know what you don't know!
Expectations vs reality. Embrace your social side!
